The Social Web

From Facebook to MySpace, YouTube to Second Life, social software is reshaping the world we live in. Steve O'Hear provides daily news and analysis of the emerging social web.

Steve O'Hear

Steve O'Hear is a London-based consultant, educator, and journalist, focussing on the Internet and all aspects of digital technology. He advises businesses and not-for-profit organisations on how to exploit the collaborative and publishing opportunities offered by the Web, and has written for numerous publications including The Guardian and Macworld. Steve is also the director of a new documentary on Silicon Valley, called <a href="http://www.insearchofthevalley.com">In Search of the Valley</a>, and in 2002 was made a fellow of the UK's National Endowment for Science, Technology, and the Art.</p>

Latest Posts

As of today, I have to say goodbye to ZDNet. After just over two years of writing this blog, I'm sad to say this is my last post here on the Social Web. I've been 'let go' as they say. Or perhaps more accurately, this blog is no more, making way for others. It's been an honor to write for ZDNet and, most of all, you my loyal and thoughtful readers.

It was only a few days ago that I noted how Facebook and social networking as a whole is fueling the mobile web. And news comes today that RIM have released a native MySpace client for its Blackberry line of smartphones.

Microsoft have announced a major overhaul of its Windows Live service that, similar to Yahoo's ‘Open Strategy’, rewires the company's suite of consumer web-based products to turn them into one interconnected social network. Although Microsoft would rather you didn't use that word.

Active users of Facebook's various mobile products has grown from 5 million to 15 million since the beginning of the year, says the company. Handset maker and carriers are hoping to cash in on Facebook's popularity too.

It appears that the micro-blogging service Twitter has removed the option to delete a 'tweet' once it's been published, making the service a haven for digital litter -- the trail of information about you or things you've said that perhaps you shouldn't leave lying around the web.

Similar to YouTube's most recent proposition to copyright holders, News Corp-owned MySpace is offering to identify pirated content uploaded by users, insert advertising and share the subsequent fruits with the content's owner.

LinkedIn has finally switched on its own OpenSocial-powered apps platform, which, on the surface at least, borrows quite a bit from Facebook. Unlike Facebook, however, apps are being heavily vetted by LinkedIn to ensure that they remain focused on helping members enhance their professional profile, as well as collaborate on work projects and become productive.

The tech blogosphere went crazy over the weekend with news that Britney Spears had opened a Twitter account. Or more accurately, someone from Britney's PR team has begun Twittering on her behalf. That may still be a big deal in itself as it suggests that the micro-blogging service could go mainstream yet.

Tip’d, which launched today, describes itself as "a place for investors... to meet, share, discuss, comment, and vote on what’s happening on both Wall Street and Main Street." Essentially, it's another Digg clone targeting a particular vertical. In this case, financial news.

When it comes to online advertising everybody wants to be the next Google, and News Corp-owned MySpace is no exception. Today the company rolled out its latest advertising platform called MyAds, designed to service "individuals and small businesses" rather than the big name brands that the social networking site's existing ad offerings cater for.

Digg faces two big challenges going forward. How to expand its user-base (and therefore content) beyond its geeky roots, and in turn, how to increase ad revenue. Addressing the latter, co-founder Kevin Rose says the social news site is exploring "Diggable ads".

One theory: LinkedIn, the social network for "professionals", could actually be benefiting from the downturn. That's because the site's value proposition really kicks in for those that have or fear that they might about to lose their job.